Bonding in the wilderness

Bellingen dad John Simon and his eight year-old son Lucas have just returned from the sort of adventure every boy dreams of having.

For three months they walked across New Zealand's South Island, following the Southern Alps, a distance of 1200 kilometres.

John planned this trek with his son so that when Lucas was older and going through difficult times, he would have something to draw on. An experience, and a sense of accomplishment that he'd never forget.

"Definitely we got the adventure we set out for and a whole lot more," John told ABC Coffs Coast Breakfast.

"It was wonderful. It really was an amazing bonding experience.

"I was in awe of Lucas, he was a real inspiration to me and kept me going more often than what he realises," John said.

New Zealand's South Island hosts some of the most breathtaking and challenging terrains from towering alps, to open plains and rugged coastlines.

"On the second day we had ninety kilometre winds and hail to the point where we had to yell to hear each other speak," John said.

"We covered about 20 kilometres that day so it was a really good introduction to the ever changing 'four seasons in one day' New Zealand weather."

One of John and Lucas' most challenging days was two months in when they crossed a 2200 metre saddle.

They had been walking for twelve hours, it was getting dark and they were exhausted.

"We had to get up a gradient which was about seventy five degrees.

"It was just hands and knees stuff pulling ourselves up," John said.

"Lucas had had enough. He couldn't go on any more.

"He said to me 'dad I can't do this.'

"I looked at him and I said 'there's absolutely nothing I can do, you have to do this Lucas.'

"I think he could just see it in my eyes and he dug deep, and I think when we all dig deep in life there's always that little bit extra, and he did it.

"We reached our campsite about an hour later.

"He was so happy that he was able to push himself through that.

"The next day he was jumping and bounding around as if the previous day was just easy.

"That will always stick in my mind, that he was able to push through that," John said.

This adventure has done for this father and son what it would of done for countless men and boys throughout history.

"We've had tens of thousands of years of evolution of getting out there in the wilderness.

"Of walking and hunting and passing on stories to our children and particularly to our sons, and we've lost that, especially over the last two hundred years," John said.

"I think it's really important that every dad gets out there with their children and just spends some time with them out in the wilderness."

John and Lucas have been home for a few weeks now and John has already noticed a change in his son's behaviour.

"He's very calm, he's always been a restless little bloke but now he's well grounded," he said.

"And he misses it.

"He's said to me several times since we've been back 'I really miss the mountains. It would be really good to do something like that again one day dad, but I'll do some school first.'

If you would like to read more about John and Lucas' adventure you can take a look at their Walking With Dad blog.